Bernadotte

About 3 years ago a serie came out at the newsagents in Italy featuring the great personalities of the Napoleonic wars, yours truly bought the soldiers but one thing I didn't like were the wooden bases. each soldier cost about 8.50. I continued buying for a couple of weeks but lost interest in the end
Son of a lawyer, after receiving an incomplete education , at the age of 17 years, the father dies, so by necessity and for embracing the spirit of adventure, he took on a military career, enrolling as a simple soldier in 1780 in the army of the King of France. Fights in India and is wounded and taken prisoner by the British to Gondeloä during a war between the local populations. The conflict gets worse , and indians are supporting the contestants from opposite sides with troops and supplies, France and Great Britain.


At the outbreak of the French revolution he is still a Sergeant, Bernadotte, since a military man  without a noble title could not aspire to become an officer. In the Republican Army, the rules change and Bernadotte becomes one with an official career. Having distinguished in the army of the Rhine and the Sambre and Meuse, he is proclaimed 0fficer on the battlefield by Brigadier (1794). Only two months later he was promoted General of Division and fights under Jourdan in the battle of Fleurus (26 June 1794).

The campaign of Italy (tagliamento)

In charge of bringing into Italy 20,000 men of the army of the Sambre and Meuse to Napoleon Bonaparte,, realising the ambitious projects of the submitter to his power. Takes part in the passage of the Tagliamento, possession of Trieste, and after the campaign presents to the Directoire flags taken from the enemy.

 Gets the command of Marseille, but due to the loathing he feels  for the violent measures following the riots in this part of France,returns to the army of Italy.

In February 1798, after the Treaty of Campo Formio, is sent as a French Ambassador in Vienna where he shines for diplomatic skills. In particular for the causes of hostile demonstrations for having raised the tricolour flag on the building of the Embassy: after having not receiving official apologies, leaves the Austria in April of that year. 17 August 1798 he married Désirée Clary, former flame of Napoleon Bonaparte, sister Marie-Julie Clary, who is the wife of Joseph Bonaparte which became brother-in-law and enters the "kinship" of Napoleon